This invention relates to fabricating electrical connectors and circuit packs including electrical connectors.
In the fabrication of a typical circuit pack, a socket-type connector is attached to the edge of a printed circuit board, and electrical contact is made to the board by soldering connector tail portions to conductive pads on the board. One of the problems in assembling circuit packs is that the flux used in the soldering operation, which is usually rosin-based, can be left behind on the connector's contacts and interfere with electrical conduction when the flux hardens. Present techniques for removing the flux typically involve the application of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) solvents which are now known to be harmful to the environment.
A further requirement in circuit pack assembly is to minimize the insertion force when mating the connector with compliant backplane pins. In order to accomplish this, it is desirable to apply to the connector a lubricant dissolved in a solvent which will, after evaporation, leave a thin, even layer of lubricant on the contacts. Typical present techniques include the use of CFC solvents to carry the lubricant.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to clean connectors in a manner which is not harmful to the environment. It is a further object to lubricate the connectors in a manner which is not harmful to the environment.